![Wheat Fields by Jacob van Ruisdael](https://www.tbr-olderissues.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ruisdael-470x140.jpg)
The Masters’ Gallery introduces selected art works of famous artists and a brief explanation on the context of the work.
![A Curious Thing Happened](https://www.tbr-olderissues.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/curious-470x140.jpg)
If she had known what lay in store for her that day, she might have worn better shoes. She had squeezed her feet into narrow…
![The Nighttime Crossing](https://www.tbr-olderissues.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/nighttimecrosing-470x140.jpg)
There was finally a moonless night when Andrew drove his car to Sandy Point and boarded the last ferry of the day to the Eastern…
![The Visit](https://www.tbr-olderissues.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/visit-470x140.jpg)
Garland Breazeale was the last lawyer remaining in the courthouse’s library. Of course, “library” was a generous description for the cramped space in the building’s…
![Long Before The End of The World](https://www.tbr-olderissues.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/beforetheend-470x140.jpg)
It’s under my skin, spread out like a thin layer
of drying pus between the transverse ligaments of my forearms
the ropey muscles that pit in the backs of my knees
![The Dust Eater](https://www.tbr-olderissues.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/dusteater-470x140.jpg)
She squats by the sluggish cerise tinged river
Under a heavily laden tree with debauched fruit
![Mother Drinks Wine on Thanksgiving](https://www.tbr-olderissues.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/motherdrinkswine-470x140.jpg)
Mother, out of the nursing home for Thanksgiving,
skeletally osteo-arthritic at ninety-two, smacks
her thin lips at the first taste of white wine like
Priscilla, Queen of the Wine Harvest;
![The Unknown Masterpiece by Honore de Balzac](https://www.tbr-olderissues.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/readingroom-470x140.jpg)
Every month, The Reading Room showcases a short story, or excerpts of a book, from some of the greatest writers the world has ever seen.